U.S. patent application number 11/915220 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-28 for wave pump device.
Invention is credited to Dagfinn Royset.
Application Number | 20080206077 11/915220 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35276956 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080206077 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Royset; Dagfinn |
August 28, 2008 |
Wave Pump Device
Abstract
A wave pump device (1) comprising a pump part (2) connected to a
pontoon (4, 50), wherein the pump part (2) is further connected to
at least one submerged water anchor (12).
Inventors: |
Royset; Dagfinn; (Trondheim,
NO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PATTERSON & SHERIDAN, L.L.P.
3040 POST OAK BOULEVARD, SUITE 1500
HOUSTON
TX
77056
US
|
Family ID: |
35276956 |
Appl. No.: |
11/915220 |
Filed: |
May 18, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
May 18, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/NO06/00185 |
371 Date: |
December 7, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/333 ;
417/331; 417/61 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02B 9/08 20130101; F03B
13/187 20130101; F03B 13/20 20130101; Y02E 10/30 20130101; F03B
13/1865 20130101; Y02E 10/38 20130101; F03B 13/189 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/333 ; 417/61;
417/331 |
International
Class: |
F03B 13/20 20060101
F03B013/20; F03B 13/16 20060101 F03B013/16; E02B 9/08 20060101
E02B009/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 25, 2005 |
NO |
20052504 |
Claims
1. A wave pump device (1) comprising a pump part (2) connected to a
pontoon (4, 50), characterized in that the pump part (2) is further
connected to at least one submerged water anchor (12), a pontoon
rope (40) extending between the pontoon (4, 50) and the water
anchor (12) via the pump part (2).
2. A device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the
water anchor (12) is provided with at least one flap (14), the flap
(14) being arranged to open for through-flow of water when the
water anchor (12) sinks through the water.
3. A device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the
water anchor (12) has the shape of an inverted pyramid.
4. A device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the
pump part (2) is submerged.
5. A device in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that the
pump part (4) is assembled in combination with the water anchor
(12).
6. A device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the
pump part (2) comprises a guide pipe (8) and a pump pipe (18),
where the pump pipe (18) seals slidingly against the guide pipe
(8).
7. A device in accordance with claim 6, characterized in that the
pump pipe (18) is connected to the pontoon (4, 50).
8. A device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the
pontoon (4) is elongated and connected to the pump part (2) at one
end portion.
9. A device in accordance with claim 8, characterized in that the
opposite end portion of the pontoon (4) is provided with a
counterweight.
10. A device in accordance with claim 8, characterized in that the
longitudinal section of the pontoon (4) is triangular, with one of
the corners of the triangle facing downwards when in the operative
position.
Description
[0001] This invention regards a wave pump. More particularly, it
regards a wave pump comprising a pontoon connected to a submerged
pump, where at least one water anchor prevents the submerged pump
from following the vertical motion of the pontoon.
[0002] Several designs of prior art wave pumps are known. One
embodiment that has gained a fair amount of use is a pump clamped
between a pontoon on the surface of the sea and the seabed or
optionally a weight located on the seabed. The actual pump may be
located in the pontoon or on the seabed and be connected to the
seabed or pontoon, respectively, by a line.
[0003] This type of wave pump is typically used to drive a turbine
connected to a generator for generation of electric power.
[0004] Large waves suitable for energy extraction on a commercial
basis often occur in offshore locations of relatively great depths.
Thus floating wave pumps of said type must be connected to the
seabed by a relatively long line.
[0005] Due to practical reasons it is inexpedient to locate the
pump itself on the seabed, especially in the case of great ocean
depths, relatively large pumps and when pumps are to be connected
to a common turbine plant. Such a solution would require a
relatively long and heavy pressure line to the surface, and would
also complicate maintenance and inspection.
[0006] The object of the invention is to remedy or reduce at least
one of the drawbacks of prior art.
[0007] The object is achieved in accordance with the invention, by
the features specified in the description below and in the
following claims.
[0008] A wave pump in accordance with the invention comprises a
pump part connected to a pontoon, the pump part further being
connected to at least one submerged water anchor.
[0009] Advantageously the water anchor is provided with at least
one flap, the flap being arranged to open for through-flow of water
when the water anchor sinks through the water.
[0010] Advantageously the water anchor is shaped as an inverted
pyramid, possibly the frustum of a pyramid, with the "top" of the
pyramid facing down.
[0011] In a preferred embodiment the pump part is submerged and
assembled in combination with the water anchor.
[0012] Advantageously the water anchor is located at a depth where
the influence from wave forces is insignificant.
[0013] The pump part typically comprises a guide pipe and a pump
pipe, where the pump pipe seals slidingly against the guide pipe
and where the pump pipe is connected to the pontoon. The guide pipe
is further connected to its respective check valves, allowing water
to flow into the pump pipe when the pump pipe is displaced outwards
from the guide pipe. When the pump pipe is displaced in along the
guide pipe, water flows from the pump pipe and into the guide pipe,
and then on through the pump outlet.
[0014] Most advantageously the pontoon is designed as an elongated
body, one end part of the elongated body being connected to the
pump part. The opposite end portion of the pontoon is equipped with
a counterweight.
[0015] Advantageously the pontoon has a triangular longitudinal
section, with one of the corners of the triangle facing
downwards.
[0016] A pontoon according to the invention will as a result of its
construction move deeper into a trough than an equivalent
conventional pontoon. The reason for this is that the counterweight
of the pontoon is located higher up along the wave, seeking to
float further down into the trough, while at the same time, the
buoyancy of the end portion of the pontoon connected to the pump
has not yet had time to pull the wave pump far enough up in the
water.
[0017] In the same way, the end portion of the pontoon connected to
the pump will lift above the crest of a wave because the
counterweight will seek to flip it out of the water by the
counterweight being between the top and bottom of the wave.
[0018] Thus it is possible to achieve a considerable increase in
effective height between the pontoon connection points for the
bottom and top positions of the pump, compared with the use of
prior art pontoons. The principle of operation of the elongated
pontoon is explained in greater detail in the specific part of the
specification.
[0019] The following describes a non-limiting example of a
preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a side view of a wave pump according to the
invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the wave pump of FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a vertical section of the sealing of the pump, on
a larger scale;
[0023] FIG. 4 shows a pontoon in a first position;
[0024] FIG. 5 shows the pontoon of FIG. 4 in a second position;
and
[0025] FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of a wave pump.
[0026] In the drawings, reference number 1 denotes a wave pump
comprising a submerged pump part 2 and a pontoon 4.
[0027] The pump part 2 comprises a pump housing 6 in the form of a
relatively long, in the operative position approximately vertical,
pipe connected to a guide pipe 8 located internally of the pump
housing 6 and fixed relative to this.
[0028] The upper part of the guide pipe 8 is attached to the pump
housing 6, otherwise it projects freely down through the pump
housing 6. The outlet 10 of the wave pump 1 is connected to and
communicates with the upper part of the guide pipe 8.
[0029] The pump housing 6 is connected to a water anchor 12
surrounding the pump housing 6. The water anchor 12 has been given
the shape of the frustum of a pyramid having a relatively small
height compared with the horizontal dimension, the "top" of the
pyramid facing downwards when the pump part 2 is in the operative
position.
[0030] Such a design of the water anchor 12 has proven to be
expedient when it comes to achieving the greatest possible
displacement resistance in the water when the pontoon 4 seeks to
displace the pump part 2 up through the water.
[0031] The water anchor 12 is provided with a number of flaps 14.
The flaps 14 are hinged at the lower portion, about a substantially
horizontal axis 16.
[0032] When the water anchor 12 is displaced up through the water,
the flaps 14 are closed, while being rotated about the axis 16 to
an open position when the water anchor 12 is displaced down through
the water. The flaps 14 cause a significant increase in the
draw-down velocity of the pump part 2 compared with a flapless 14
design.
[0033] A pump pipe 18 surrounds the free part of the guide pipe 8
in an axially slidable manner. The upper part of the pump pipe 18
is connected to a fastener 20 that includes a seal 22, see FIG. 3,
the seal 22 sealing against the guide pipe 8.
[0034] At the lower part, the pump pipe 18 communicates with an
inlet 24 via a first check valve 26.
[0035] A weight 28 is connected to the inlet 24 via a plumb line 30
and is arranged to displace the pump pipe 18 down through the water
upon lowering of the pontoon 4.
[0036] The outlet 10 communicates with a downstream piping system
(not shown) via a second check valve 32.
[0037] Pump ropes 34 extend from the fastener 20 via guides 36 in
the pump housing 6 up to a rope coupler 38. The rope coupler 38 is
connected to the pontoon 4 via a pontoon rope 40.
[0038] In the initial position the pump pipe 18 is in the lower
position, with the rope coupler 38 abutting the guides 36. The
guide pipe 8 and the pump pipe 18 are filled with water.
[0039] When the pontoon 4 is lifted by a wave, the pump pipe 18 is
displaced upwards by the fastener 20, the pump rope 34, the rope
coupler 38 and the pontoon rope 40. The seal 22 prevents water from
exiting between the guide pipe 8 and the pump pipe 18, while the
first check valve 26 is closed.
[0040] This causes a water pressure to build up in the guide pipe 8
and the pump pipe 18, seeking to displace the pump housing 6
upwards. This displacement is prevented essentially by the water
anchor 12.
[0041] Thus, water at the prevailing pressure exits from the outlet
10 via the second check valve 32, which is open.
[0042] When the pontoon 4 is lowered, the weight 28 will pull the
pump pipe 18 downwards as the second check valve 32 closes and the
first check valve 26 opens to the inflow of water via the inlet
24.
[0043] During this phase the entire pump part 2 sinks in the water,
as the flaps 14 open and contribute to the water anchor 12 sinking
at a greater speed, as explained above. The weight 28, and with
this the pump pipe 18, sink at a significantly greater speed than
the water anchor 12 and the pump housing 6, thus ensuring the
inflow of water to the pump part 2 during the displacement of the
pump pipe 18 down along the guide pipe 8.
[0044] In a preferred embodiment the pontoon 4 is shaped as an
elongated body, see FIGS. 4 and 5. The pontoon 4 may be shaped as a
boat or have another appropriate profile, e.g. a triangular
section, with one corner of the triangle facing downwards.
[0045] The pontoon rope 40 is connected to the pontoon 4 at a
pontoon rope attachment point 42 at one end portion of the pontoon,
while the opposite end portion of the pontoon 4 is provided with a
counterweight 44.
[0046] The design of the pontoon 4 causes the pontoon rope
attachment point 42 to move below the water surface 46 of a trough
when the attachment point 42 is in a trough, see FIG. 4, whereas
when the pontoon rope attachment point 42 is in the top position,
the pontoon rope attachment point 42 will be lifted to a level
above a wave crest 48 due to the counterweight, see FIG. 5.
[0047] In an alternative embodiment, see FIG. 6, the wave pump 1 is
provided with a conventional pontoon 50 and two water anchors
12.
* * * * *